By the Numbers

December grads to be celebrated Sunday

Winter Commencement 2016 will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at the SEFCU arena. Above, the ceremonies at last year's event. (Photo by Mark Schmidt)

ALBANY, NY (Dec. 8, 2016) – Around 970 students are expected to earn their degrees from the University at Albany at this year’s Winter Commencement. The ceremony will be held in the SEFCU Arena, starting at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11.

Undergraduate Studies

An estimated 565 undergraduate students will be receiving degrees during winter commencement, from 56 different majors. The most popular degree programs so far are, in descending order, sociology, psychology, human biology, business, biology, communications and economics.

The average age of graduating students is 23, with the oldest being 60 and the youngest being 19. Females make up 51 percent of the graduating class, and 26 percent are the first in their families to graduate from college. Students in this class come from 10 states and 18 different countries, including China, South Korea, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ghana, Japan, Brazil and Australia.

Graduate and Doctoral Studies

More than 400 students will be receiving master’s degrees, doctorates and graduate certificates at Winter Commencement. The most popular graduate programs include computer science, literacy, mental health counseling, information science, business, curriculum development and instructional technology and public health.

Graduate students at this year’s ceremony come from 22 states and 17 different countries, including India, China, Great Britain, Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Uganda. The average age for graduate and doctoral students is 29, with the oldest being 65, and the youngest 21. Female students make up 58 percent of the class.

Veterans

Among the over 970 students at this year’s winter commencement will be 20 military veterans. Of these students, 10 will be receiving undergraduate degrees, and 10 will be receiving master’s degrees, doctorates or graduate certificates.